La Montagne Noire via Cubserviès

Exploring La Montagne Noire and one of the highest waterfalls in Europe.

Details

29607
Creation:
Last update:
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 15.98 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 6h 25 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 647 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 640 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 788 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 307 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The (mandatory) starting point is at the hikers’ car park 300m from the village of Roquefère at a narrowing of the rocks.

(S)A:: From the car park turn left between the rocks and seek for a “calvaire” on the right indicating the start of the trail. Follow the path to the right marked in yellow, do not take a path to the left going down to the Coumo Rousal stream but carry on the same path. Further on, go through a walk-through gate and take the path that goes immediately up to the left. Continue on the path that will continue at first gently and then more pronouncedly sloping taking you to the ridge and to a fork.

(1) Head up to left, following the yellow and orange markings, continue along the side of the mountain and arrive on the ridge.

(2) The path turns right, passing the Ventajou dolmens then hedge of the forest. Continue to the right on the track to reach a wide track about 200m further on.

(3) Turn left and follow the route for 800 m to find a junction with La Vierge de Saint-Martin.

(4) Turn right, ignore the next path to left to head out of the forest. The road will make a sharp right turn and lead onto the road.

(5) Make a small detour to the right by Cubserviès for the view of the waterfall and then head back here.
Retrace your steps back to the road that heads down to the right. Cross the "La Ferriere" stream, pass by the Fontpeyrisse mill and continue on the road up to a junction.

(6) Continue on the road to make a detour to the Saint-Sernin church and back. Come back to the intersection and off the road to go down the path on the left. After a turn, find a fork.

(7) “Here you have the option to make a detour to the waterfall by striking out to the right before returning and continuing the descent, but the paths are hard to spot and access is not the easiest. But it’s worth a shot...''
Continue downhill starting on the left, the path narrows. Pass by the ruins of Pellairol and continue on a wide path downhill. Pass by the ruins of Sabartès to reach a bridge a kilometre away.

(8) Cross the Prat Viel stream, continue onwards to a road.

(9) Head up on this road to the right to reach the top of the village of La Bastide-Esparbairenque. After a small square, find the D9 and turn right to the washhouse.

(10) Turn left following the yellow and blue marking then climb a path to the left. On your right is the Saint-André church. Continue onwards to reach a track.

(11). Take that track to the right as far as the bend in the road, then leave it and head down to the right under the rock of En Galière between old terraces. Cross a gap and reach a fork.

(12) Take the trail to the right which first rises and then descends steeply as far as Roquefère. After visiting the village, turn left on the D9 to reach the car park. (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 308 m - Randonneurs car park
  2. 1 : km 2.56 - alt. 587 m - Intersection. Go left.
  3. 2 : km 3.72 - alt. 700 m - Reaching the ridge.
  4. 3 : km 4.7 - alt. 775 m - Intersection with a wide track.
  5. 4 : km 5.63 - alt. 783 m - Virgin of the Plo St-Martin.
  6. 5 : km 6.25 - alt. 744 m - Cascade de Cubserviès
  7. 6 : km 6.62 - alt. 731 m - Rieutord (cours d'eau) - Affluent de l'Orbiel
  8. 7 : km 7.63 - alt. 763 m - Leave the track and turn left
  9. 8 : km 8.42 - alt. 708 m - Intersection. Possible path to the waterfall.
  10. 9 : km 11.19 - alt. 422 m - Bridge over the Prat Viel stream.
  11. 10 : km 11.58 - alt. 415 m - Intersection before Bastide Espabairenque.
  12. 11 : km 12.37 - alt. 449 m - Laundry
  13. 12 : km 12.81 - alt. 506 m - Runway intersection
  14. 13 : km 14.53 - alt. 385 m - Right towards Roquefère
  15. S/E : km 15.98 - alt. 307 m - Randonneurs car park

Worth a visit

Roquefère is well worth a visit.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 123 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
User 24985001

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 18, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk, very well signposted as the route is also used for trail running.

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gunam
gunam

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : Not used / Not applicable
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Circular based on the GPX track without the return trip to Saint Sernin Church, covering 15 km with an estimated total elevation gain of 605 m. This is not a simple stroll but an easy hike with beautiful sections through the woods, remarkable villages, stunning views in the distance and of the Cubserviès waterfall.
A very beautiful area of the Montagne Noire.

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User 7573539

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Easy hike, beautiful views

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User 22490705

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The hook made by the waterfall at point 8 is now prohibited. The path is no longer authorised due to danger. Physically, there is nothing to prevent you from going down. There is no barrier, and the path is visible from above. However, it will be almost impossible to climb back up the same way. The town hall has informed me that it is now strictly forbidden to go down to the foot of the waterfall.

Another issue: the first stage is no longer relevant. You have to take a detour to get back onto the path a little further on. The chicane barrier no longer exists. The path was not supposed to go left either.

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philphil9
philphil9

Very beautiful hike and the waterfall is lovely, a bit long but pleasant.

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RV32
RV32

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 12, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Nice walk with superb paths. The view is not exceptional and access to the waterfall is not possible up close, which is frustrating.

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Bruno pierre
Bruno pierre

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 17, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk

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2455783
2455783

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Superb walk with lovely views of the Pyrenees, 2 beautiful hilltop villages (Labastide Espaibairenque and Cubservies), a magnificent waterfall, 1 dolmen and the beautiful village of Roquefère with its castle and newly paved streets.

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ferrand philippe
ferrand philippe

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

very nice walk - superb views - worth doing

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jfprenant
jfprenant

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 04, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Starting from Roquefère, it's a 16km loop, beginning with a 4km climb to point 2 to take in the superb panoramic views, then passing through the village of Cubserviès and its waterfall (we didn't take the more well-maintained path to the waterfall, but we had to go too high to reach it...). The descent to Roquefère offers magnificent views of the châteaux of Lastours, the Pic de Nore and the Pyrenees.
Before setting off again, it's worth stopping off at l'atelier du Marron for some sweet treats (for us, chestnut honey, chestnut cream and hazelnut confit with honey ).
All in all, one of the most beautiful walks we've done in the Montagne Noire.

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Laurencepi
Laurencepi

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A great hike that got off to a great start. Not used to walking for so long, we did it in 5 hours.
Very few encounters. At the finish, we had a picnic and a dip in the river at Roquefère. Thank you for this route, which is very well described.

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bardenas
bardenas

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very pleasant loop to do when the weather is hot, the walk around the lake in the undergrowth is a pleasure with no difficulty.

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GUIRAUD FRANCOIS
GUIRAUD FRANCOIS

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 18, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk from Roquefère. Beautiful panoramic views, pretty little village of Cubserviès and its waterfall. Some nice climbs, especially at the start.

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LULUETULYSSE
LULUETULYSSE

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk, not as easy as all that, with some steep climbs, but a magnificent perched hamlet of Cubserviès, the waterfall seen from a distance, as it is impossible to get close, in a particularly pleasant natural setting, the hamlets have retained the charm of the past.

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BECK33
BECK33

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk for the whole family, but a little long at the end as indicated.

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